Certification of address records for use in address hygiene

Abstract

An improved method for cleansing a plurality of address records in an address record file. The method checks an address record for an associated cleansing date. The method determines whether the associated cleansing date has expired. If the address record has no cleansing date, or if the cleansing date is expired, then an address cleansing routine is applied to the address record. Also, a new cleansing date is added to the address record based on a current date. If the cleansing date for the address record has not expired, then the cleansing routine is omitted, adding the record to the USPS statistics, and processing of the list continues. An address cleansing report is generated indicating a number of address records that were cleansed. In the preferred embodiment, the step of adding the new cleansing date to the address record includes a step of securing the cleansing date from unauthorized changes or tampering. The step of determining whether the associated cleansing date has expired will then also include a step to access secured cleansing dates in the address records.

1. A method for cleansing addresses to comply with postal requirements, the method comprising the steps of:
 storing an address list comprising a plurality of address records 
 periodically performing address cleansing on the address list to verify whether the plurality of address records satisfy postal requirements; 
 wherein the step of periodically performing address cleansing on the address list further comprises performing the following steps (a)-() for each address record: 
 (a) checking the address record for an associated cleansing date; 
 (b) determining whether the associated cleansing date has expired; 
 (c) if the address record has no cleansing date or if the cleansing date is expired then performing the steps of:
 (i) applying an address cleansing routine to the address record; and 
 (ii) adding a new cleansing date to the address record based on a current date; 
 
 (d) if the cleansing date for the address record has not expired, then omitting step (c). 
 
   
   
     2. The method of address cleansing of  claim 1  further including a step of generating an address cleansing report indicating a number of address records that were cleansed, and indicating an oldest unexpired cleansing date among the plurality of address records. 
   
   
     3. The method of address cleansing of  claim 1  wherein the step of adding the new cleansing date to the address record includes a step of securing the cleansing date from unauthorized tampering, and the step of determining whether the associated cleansing date has expired is includes a step to access secured cleansing dates in the address records. 
   
   
     4. The method of address cleansing of  claim 3  wherein the step of securing the cleansing date is comprised of encrypting the cleansing date, and the step to access secured cleansing dates is decrypting them. 
   
   
     5. The method of address cleansing of  claim 3  wherein the step of securing the cleansing date is comprised of providing a digital signature for the address record, and the step to access secured cleansing dates is comprised of verifying the address record's digital signature. 
   
   
     6. The method of address cleansing of  claim 3  wherein the step of securing the cleansing date is comprised of securely encoding the cleansing date, and the step to access secured cleansing dates is comprised of decoding the encoded cleansing date. 
   
   
     7. The method of address cleansing of  claim 1  further including the step of assigning a number of days as an expiration parameter and wherein the step of determining whether the associated cleansing date has expired depends on the assigned expiration parameter. 
   
   
     8. The method of address cleansing of  claim 1  wherein step (d) further includes a step of updating statistical records regarding address cleansing statistics.